World Restaurants

Restaurant reviews from our travels

Lunch at Ongi Etorri, Saint Jean De Luz, France

On our way to France for the day, we stopped to attend the unique Alarde parade in the charming medieval town of Hondarribia (Spain), where everyone in the city celebrates by dressing in red and white. Afterward, we stopped for lunch in Saint Jean De Luz, where we tripped across the Ongi Etorri cafe. We were thrilled we did. Two had the pot of mussels (15 €), and others ordered the 3-course menu (19.50 €). My friend began with the green salad with fried camembert and grilled sardines with fries. I delighted in eating the sweet piquillo red peppers stuffed with a delicate cod mousse, followed by an unremarkable chicken [...]

By |2022-11-01T09:45:59-04:00November 4th, 2022|World, World Restaurants, World Travel|2 Comments
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Bilbao, Spain: Restaurant Markina

Our front desk clerk recommended a darling little cafe not far from Hotel Míro in Bilbao, where we were staying. Markina is a friendly café with attentive service. We started with a bottle of rosé (20 €) while perusing the menu. We were still shocked that a bottle cost what a glass did in New York. We arrived just in time to get a seat, as the restaurant completely filled up.  Everything was delicious. Their rich burrata, made in Bilbao, comes accompanied by eggplant and tomato chutney (15.50 €). We ordered bread (2.80 €) for that and to dip into the garlicky oil from the grilled Galician razor clams (15.50 [...]

By |2022-11-01T09:59:36-04:00October 30th, 2022|Bites from the Road, World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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San Sebastián: The Pintxos Tour

Pintxos are early evening snacks traditionally served at bars in the Basque country of northern Spain. They're enjoyed along with cider, beer or wine while standing at a table — if you can grab one. During a recent Global Palate Adventure, I sampled many pintxos in Old Town, San Sebastian. I've yet to find one I didn't like. First, don't miss sampling Spain's indigenous Jamon Iberico, the cured meat from pigs mainly fed acorns. ZaporeJai, C. de San Jerónimo, 21.  I'd recommend any pintxos at La Mejillonera c/del Puerot, 5. Their fresh calamari was crispy; the potatoes bravo tasty, although I'd have preferred less of the sauces. The succulent steamed mussels [...]

By |2022-11-01T09:54:19-04:00October 25th, 2022|World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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Michelin 1-star Nerua at Guggenheim Bilboa Museum, Bilboa, Spain

The Basque country is a must-do for anyone who loves food. My first stop was in Bilboa (Spain) to visit the Guggenheim Museum. Afterward, we headed next door to Nerua, a Michelin one-star restaurant offering local Basque cuisine. We opted for the reasonably priced 85 € multi-course tasting menu with their 35 € wine pairing beautifully described by our attentive server, Asier Llona. Our first delicacies were the labor-intense amuse-bouche: A small glass of tomato-water clear gazpacho and three pintxos on a ceramic bench plate. One was a bread croquette filled with bonito, another a mini quail egg topped with langoustine foam and then the Cricket. That's the name they [...]

By |2022-10-20T08:51:43-04:00October 12th, 2022|Bites from the Road, USA Restaurants, World, World Restaurants, World Travel|2 Comments
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Lunch at Kod Kapetan, Hvar, Croatia

On our free day, we took the fast ferry from Split to Hvar to discover this summer resort island in the Adriatic Sea. Before stopping for lunch along the seaside, we walked up to the fortress with beautiful views overlooking the sea. After shopping at local shops, we headed seaside to find a place to dine. Kod Kapetan - near the beach club - was ideal, with good food and friendly service. We ordered what had become our favorite Croatian wine Pošip, this one a 2018 Marijan from Hvar. (180 kunas ~$28). The kitchen served us crisp bruschetta topped with fresh tomatoes. Divine. Next, we shared delicious prawns, even tho [...]

By |2021-11-21T11:46:13-05:00November 14th, 2021|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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Dvor, Split, Croatia on the Adriatic Sea

Recommended in the Michelin Guide, Dvor opened in 2013. We sat outside on the terrace with a spectacular view of the Adriatic sea and Croatian islands beyond while being serenaded by a guitarist across the patio singing American songs. We all decided to have their five-course tasting menu (470 Kuna, ~$73.50) and ordered a bottle of white and red to accompany. Our first amazingly unusual dish — "Canelon" tuna with goose liver— was the favorite of the evening. Goose liver ganache wrapped in fresh tuna garnished with purple onion gel, pea gel, Jerusalem artichoke gel, black olive dust and Aceto Balsamico pearls. Fantastic. The smoked sea risotto was a runner-up [...]

By |2021-11-21T11:45:01-05:00November 6th, 2021|Bites from the Road, World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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Den Haag Dining, The Netherlands

I recently spent a week with the part of my family living in The Netherlands. Hadn't seen them since the world closed down last March. I decided to share the two restaurants in their hood, one where we had brunch, the other my farewell dinner. At Kaafi, we stopped for brunch after a morning at one of the many playgrounds in this kid-friendly city. The service at this specialty coffee and brunch bar was over-the-top friendly. Both egg dishes were good (10.90 € each). Their silky french omelette comes filled with brie, rolled in butter and served on seeded sourdough bread. Our other choice had creamy scrambled Cheddar eggs, with [...]

By |2021-08-27T13:00:00-04:00August 26th, 2021|World, World Restaurants|1 Comment
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My Last Meal as the World Closed: Esszimmer, Salzburg, Austria

(Obviously, written before COVID-19 quarantine)  Little did I know when Andrea Kaiblinger and I were emailing about my reservation at her Michelin-starred restaurant Esszimmer in Salzburg (Austria) that my friends Scot, Ed and I would be their last customers before the government instructed them to shut down. Andrea welcomed us warmly as we arrived at her comfortably elegant restaurant.  Andrea, who works with her husband Andreas, mentioned that they had been operating for 16 years. "How many years have you had the Michelin star?" "Sixteen," she responded with a big smile filling her face.   I've always found lunch an affordable way to dine at Michelin-starred restaurants. That also gives [...]

By |2020-09-30T17:16:43-04:00September 24th, 2020|World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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Dim Sum in Hong Kong, Classic vs New-Age, A World of Difference

Dim Sum in Hong Kong comes in many forms, from the traditional with waitresses pushing carts that you simply point to what you want to much more contemporary with offerings filled with French classics like ratatouille and foie gras. We experienced both in our 36 hours discovering this modern city. Our first was at Maxime's Palace Dim Sum in Hong Kong City Hall that had been recommended to us by an ex-pat. It's reminiscent of Jing Fong restaurant in New York's Chinatown with Chinese-speaking uniformed waitresses pushing the carts past the white tablecloths tables in a huge room with windows next to the Hong Kong harbor. Like in NYC, you [...]

By |2020-01-27T07:55:58-05:00March 7th, 2020|World Restaurants, World Travel|0 Comments
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Lunch at Galae Restaurant After Chatting with Phra KK, a Buddist Monk

Our local guides Chintana Suwawan and her husband Poj from Window of Thailand introduced us to the Thai culture, Buddhist life and Lanna traditions before we boarded a bus to explore the city.  Our group of 12 on a Global Palate Adventures trip visited Temples of Chiang Mai and then chat with Phra KK, a Buddist Monk (a highlight of my time in Thailand!) about his life and Buddhism. Afterward, we drove to a restaurant located amidst their lush flower gardens. Since the outdoor space at Galae Restaurant was full, we ate inside with our group served family-style. Like at most other meals in Thailand, we ate chicken satay and Pad [...]

By |2020-01-24T08:09:15-05:00March 3rd, 2020|World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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River Market Restaurant Chiang Mai Dinner with Global Palette Adventures, Thailand

The River Market Restaurant, overlooking the Iron Bridge, is just a quick walk towards the Ping River from Le Meridian Hotel where our group was staying. That's where we had our welcoming dinner with our group attending the Global Palette Adventures Chiang Mai trip. The restaurant serves substantial portions of Thai food at reasonable prices great for sharing. Our host Lowell ordered lots of apps for the dozen of us to share that included tender skewered chicken satay (4 for 185 THB*) with sliced cucumbers and a peanut sauce with just a bit of spice. The least exciting was the coriander-crusted seared tuna with green mango som tam with chive [...]

By |2020-02-25T12:53:21-05:00February 21st, 2020|World, World Restaurants, World Travel|0 Comments
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A Must-Try: L’essential in Périgueux, France

We lucked out as the weather was ideal for dining on the courtyard terrace. That and we arrived early at this tiny Michelin-starred restaurant to be lucky enough to secure one of the outside tables. Magali and Eric Vidal offer impeccably served culinary specialties of Périgord and the region. We started with our aperitif of Lillet blonde that had become our tradition while in the Dordogne. Each dish from the amazingly inexpensive 31 € two-course menu was better than the next and was beautifully plated. For the two courses, we selected either an appetizer or dessert and an entree. A real bargain. First came the ethereal multi-studded amuse-bouche along with [...]

By |2019-10-12T19:22:06-04:00October 23rd, 2019|World, World Restaurants, World Travel|2 Comments
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Ròda at Le Moulin Du Roc, Dordogne, France

We were staying at Maison Rose in the small village of Saint-Jean-de-Côle in the Dordogne not too far from Le Moulin Du Roc, a former Michelin-starred restaurant, where we had booked lunch. Being our first full day in the area, we hadn't a clue how long it would take on the back roads towards Brantôme, the city near the restaurant. We gave ourselves lots of time to get there for our lunch reservation arriving so early it was even before their meal service began. Our hosts welcomed us to the flower-filled garden terrace on the Dronne River adjacent to the elegantly furnished old mill. With a chill in the air [...]

By |2019-10-12T20:33:18-04:00October 7th, 2019|World, World Restaurants, World Travel|0 Comments
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A Wishbone at Le Soufflé, Paris

After peeking in Le Soufflé's window, seeing this quintessential Parisian place and checking out their incredible lunch deal, we made a res and returned. We were headed elsewhere. Monday through Friday from noon to 2 pm, Le Soufflé offers a prix-fixe menu for €29, which includes a choice of starter, main course, dessert, and a beverage, including wine. Although they offer meat and fish entrees, the main event here is the eponymous dish resulting from the addition of stiffly beaten egg whites to flavored egg yolks. Le soufflé. We each had a savory main dish and then a sweet dessert, plus a green salad. To serve each, the waiter places [...]

By |2025-05-29T15:06:41-04:00June 16th, 2019|World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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Paris and West Village Visits to Jody Williams’ Buvette

So enjoying Jody Williams Buvette when I had eaten there that I decided to head to her Paris establishment when I was there recently. That visit in the City of Love made me hunger for another trip to the West Village one. In the 9th arrondissement in the Pigalle neighborhood of Paris, we shared a croque forestier, Jody Williams vegetarian alternative to the croque-monsieur sandwich with layers of Gruyere with roasted mushrooms and hearty French bread (12 €), some roasted fresh beets  (9 €) topped with Roquefort crème fraîche and a lightly dressed salad with celery olives and tender chicken (15 €). We also indulged in her heavenly mousse au [...]

By |2019-04-24T11:38:10-04:00May 30th, 2019|Big Apple Life, World Restaurants, World Travel|0 Comments
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In Paris, Don’t Miss Ellsworth

My friend who owns La Cuisine Paris, the fabulous cooking school in the heart of the city, invited us to join her at Ellsworth on rue de Richelieu. She's a fellow Dame, President of the newly formed Paris chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier. This restaurant is the concept of Braden Perkins (and is named for his grandfather) and of Laura Adrian, Americans who also own/run the more upscale Verjus around the corner. The seasonal menu offers prix-fixe at lunch, with a trio of choices at each course (€24 for two courses; €30 with dessert). It's a veggie-heavy menu that also features fried chicken. Odd you may think for a Parisian [...]

By |2019-05-18T08:53:59-04:00May 22nd, 2019|World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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Breakfast in America (BIA) Diner in Paris, France

Breakfast in America (BIA) is not your typical place to stop for a meal in Paris. It's famous for the classic American diner breakfast where the server comes by and continues to fill up your mug with drip coffee.  Occasionally x-pats do yearn for a good ole' American diner breakfast like this. I stopped by the original location with my son and granddaughter one day for eggs  (7.95 €) over easy, crispy bacon (+ 1 €), pancakes with real maple syrup (7.95 €) and constantly refilled coffee.  We so enjoyed those eggs that came served with home-fries or tomatoes and toast. While there you can purchase founder Craig Carlson's book [...]

By |2019-04-15T12:27:50-04:00April 2nd, 2019|World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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The Hereford Arms, South Kensington, London, England

After wandering the shops of London on a rainy day, we went for a late lunch at the Hereford Arms a block from our Hotel, making it convenient to grab our carry bags before heading to Saint Pancras station to board the Eurostar back to Paris. I had no idea which brew to select from the lists. Our server  — who interestingly was from the States on work-study to England — assisted by bringing me four samples to taste: a lager, two IPAs and an ale. I chose the Fullers Bengal Lancer IPA (£ 4.80). My dining partner started us on hot, crisp lightly coated fried onion rings (£4) served with cumin-spiced [...]

By |2018-12-08T16:47:30-05:00January 14th, 2019|World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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Middle Eastern Meal at The Palomar, Chinatown, London + Company

I had been hearing about the new London production of Company — the Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s musical comedy about life, love and marriage — from my NYC theatre friends who are producers of the show. Company opened at London's Gielgud Theatre in November to rave reviews. And so, while across the pond during the holidays visiting family, I took the Eurostar to London to see it. What a delight! Marianne Elliott’s new production stars Rosalie Craig in the central role of Bobbie, Patti LuPone, Mel Giedroyc and Jonathan Bailey. Before the show, we stopped in at the Palomar for some small plates, each meant to be shared. Once ordered, the food arrived quite quickly [...]

By |2019-01-07T10:37:13-05:00January 6th, 2019|Theatre, World, World Restaurants, World Travel|0 Comments
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Cafe Gourmand at Le Sancerre, De Marais, Paris

After lunch, we walked around going in and out of the shops then headed to Rue des Archives to sit outside under the heat lamp to keep warm while sipping an espresso. Not just for the coffee, but for a special cafe gourmand that's served with treats. The one at Le Sancerre is served with four mini desserts and a chocolate along with the beverage. Ours had a mini muffin, an apple pie, chocolate mousse, a chocolate-covered almond and — my favorite — the crème brûlée (€9). A lovely way to people watch in Paris. Le Sancerre 3rd arrondissement 87 Rue des Archives 75003 Paris, France +33 1 42 72 [...]

By |2018-12-31T07:02:31-05:00December 31st, 2018|World, World Restaurants, World Travel|0 Comments
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